Bikram, or hot yoga, is popular among fitness buffs as a way to sweat out calories and toxins while getting the flexibility and stress-reducing benefits of yoga. Before becoming a hot yoga instructor, you'll need to complete a teacher training program and consider where and how you want to teach this practice.
Teacher Training
In the United States, an organization called Yoga Alliance regulates yoga instructor training. Teacher training schools around the country offer training programs at two levels: 200-hour and 500-hour. Both levels include study in techniques, teaching methodology, physiology, yoga philosophy, ethics and other topics. Although you do not need to be certified by Yoga Alliance to teach yoga, most studios and fitness centers tend to require it when hiring new instructors.
Where to Train
Check the Yoga Alliance directory of teacher training programs, which is searchable by region, to find a program near you. Some yoga studios offer teacher training in addition to classes, and standalone yoga training schools also exist. Yoga Alliance certifies schools as well as teachers; look for the Registered Yoga School designation to indicate that the school follows the Yoga Alliance teacher training program. Some schools may only offer the 200-hour or 500-hour training programs, not both. Cost and schedules vary by school.
Bikram Considerations
Although you will learn how to teach all types of yoga during a Yoga Alliance-certified teacher training program, if you wish to specialize in hot yoga, choose electives or extra practice in that area. Because bikram yoga follows a set series of 26 yoga poses, you will need to memorize those poses and the order in which they're performed, as well as any modifications. Keep in mind that space restrictions may limit your ability to teach hot yoga --- for example, you may not be able to control the temperature of an individual room in a large fitness center --- so being flexible in the types of yoga you teach can expand your employment opportunities.
Safety Considerations
All yoga includes a risk for injury, but in addition to pose-related injuries, hot yoga has heat-related safety risks. If students become overheated, nauseous or dizzy during practice, serious medical issues can result. Having additional first-aid training and a plan in place for medical emergencies will give both you and your students peace of mind. Encourage participants to drink plenty of water and to take breaks when needed.
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